U.S. Sen. Capito talks Matt Gaetz, the murder of Laken Riley, the arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu and more during press briefing
By Autumn Shelton, RealWV
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) discussed former Rep. Matt Gaetz, the murder of Laken Riley, potential policies for the second Trump administration, and more during her press briefing on Thursday.
Just prior to the press briefing, it was announced that former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz had withdrawn from consideration to become President-elect Donald Trump’s Attorney General.
“Vice President-elect Vance had Gaetz on the hill yesterday, mostly meeting with Judiciary Committee members,” Capito explained. “I think that Mr. Gaetz made a decision that he, if you read his statement, was becoming a burden to Trump and also President Trump’s desire to quickly fill out his cabinet and to be effective.”
Although Capito noted how we must now wait to see who Trump’s next pick for Attorney General will be, that wait was short. Early Thursday evening, it was announced that Trump has named former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as his second choice to fill the role.
“We know how passionately the President feels about the injustices that he has seen at the Department of Justice, certainly in his own case and in others.”
Capito also offered her thoughts on Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student who was killed while on a morning jog in February. Jose Ibarra, an undocumented immigrant, was found guilty of her murder on Nov. 20.
“I think, as a mother, I have paid particular attention to that – trying to put myself in the shoes of Laken’s mother making those phone calls or texts ‘Where are you? Where are you? You’re worrying me. You’re worrying me’ – and then finding out later that she has already been murdered,” Capito said. “It’s a horrifying thing at the hands of somebody here, who was already arrested once, but was here illegally as well.”
Capito stated that this type of situation is “emblematic of what we see with some of the crime” happening in America.
On an international level, Capito discussed the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others, accusing them of war crimes.
“I vehemently think this is an unfair adjudication of justice,” Capito said. “They’re not doing anything to Hamas, and so I think you see this is a very troubling development as well.”
Back on the home front, Capito explained that on Nov. 20 she delivered a speech on the Senate floor where she highlighted issues faced by West Virginians and Republican solutions.
“[I talked] about where I think could be the big margins of great policies that come forward for next year,” Capito noted. “Certainly our economic policies, we’re going to be getting into taxes, we’re gonna be getting into reduction of taxes and getting this economy to grow, we’re gonna work with President Trump to fulfill his promise of closing down the border and deporting those who are here illegally – that are certainly the criminals – to getting them out of this great country, and to make the flow of illegal immigrants and illegal pharmaceuticals greatly diminish, and I think that’s important.”
Capito also nominated 36 West Virginia students to U.S. Service academies.
“I wish them all well through the admissions process,” Capito said.
To view all of Capito’s nominations, click here.
